


Missing

by DespairAsSweetAsCitrus



Category: citrus - サブロウタ | citrus - Saburouta
Genre: F/F, Humour, Love, Marriage Proposal, Step-siblings, The Gang - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 10:10:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13738644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DespairAsSweetAsCitrus/pseuds/DespairAsSweetAsCitrus
Summary: ‘Local high schooler Aihara Yuzu has been reported missing from her home in Koto-Ku. She was last seen yesterday at 12:37PM. If you have any idea or any information on her whereabouts please contact your local police station.’One-shot I wrote to cope with my feelings after chapter 36!





	Missing

Mei stood alone in an empty kitchen, the television on in the background, blurry noise is all she could hear it as. Empty. That was her reality now, the sinking, gut wrenching empty feeling she had in her heart was it. She’d shut it all off back to square one. _‘What has she done?’_ The glass Mei was holding started to shake bringing her out of her head and frustrating herself for allowing to feel this way. _‘No, this is for the family, it's what’s best.’_ Mei frowned and let out a heavy sigh before making her way to the counter to start cooking herself dinner.

**‘Local high schooler Aihara Yuzu has been reported missing from her home in Koto-Ku. She was last seen yesterday at 12:37PM. If you have any idea or any information on her whereabouts please contact your local police station.’**

Mei froze solid. _‘yuzu’_. The words she’d just heard taking almost too long to sink in. She turned around to glare at the television, concentrating on it so hard that she could’ve moved it had she the ability. Yuzu’s photo was covering the screen and it made the locked chains around Mei’s heart shake, trying to burst. There she was. Big green eyes usually wide and full of life now puffy, small and dead, covered with purple rings and bags underneath, her skin grey and much thinner than usual, she looked like she hadn’t eaten in days. The biggest most noticeable difference was her hair, once blonde and full of volume, now faded with chestnut colouring and blonde ends looking like they were dripping away from her. Mei felt sick. The guilt and pain she felt in every nerve of her body before now felt like knives stabbing her over and over again and the more she looked at Yuzu’s picture, the harder it got to forget.

Yuzu stood at her Dad’s grave, her knees weak and shivering from the rain, her chest getting tighter and tighter with every breath she took. This was the last resort, she needed something to get Mei back. She didn’t know what to do, where to turn or who to turn to but her only thought was to the man that even though it was only three years of her life, always knew what to do. Yuzu dropped to her knees and closed her eyes, images of her and Mei flashed through her mind prompting Yuzu to squeeze her eyes tighter as tears started rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto her Dad’s grave. _‘Please Dad, I know it’s looked down upon but I love her, even after all this I still do. Tell me what to do, give me strength, anything I just need your help.’_ Yuzu started to shake, it was cold and she was alone. _‘Alone’_. The word rung in her head as the sky was turning dark and clouding over as night time approached. Yuzu couldn’t go home, she couldn’t face her Mother, the memories, even looking in Kumagorou’s eyes hurt so she decided to zip up her jacket, curl up and close her eyes, leaning against her Dad, hopefully it wouldn’t be too bad a night.

Mei hadn’t realised she’d been staring at the screen for so long that it had now moved onto another subject entirely, lost in her thoughts and her feelings. Her key was right there. The key to her shackled up and broken heart was there and she’d snapped that key and now all she could do was think of how to get it back. Mei ran to the door, snatching her phone up on the way past, completely ignoring her Grandfather’s request to know what was going on. Her shoes and coat were flung on and a loud bang rattled the old house as the door slammed shut behind her. Her legs were carrying her faster than she ever imagined they could, she didn’t know what gave her this strength and power but she knew that she had to find Yuzu. She had to make this right. Curses flew out of Mei’s mouth as she knocked into a few pedestrians, shouting back an apology to them as she kept going, rough and heavy panting felt like fire to her throat as she inhaled and exhaled faster and faster. That fire was determination.

*

“Do you have any idea where she is? I’m seriously worried, she hasn’t been the same since… well you know.” Harumin was pacing around the table at the local fast food restaurant as if trying to kick start her brain into thinking of where Yuzu could be.

“No I don’t but we need to think about this rationally. Even though MeiMei left it doesn’t mean she’d do anything stupid.” Himeko tried to reason with Harumin but with no success. She slammed her hands down on the table in front of Himeko.

“So what do you suggest I do huh?! Let my best friend suffer on her own because of this. Fuck that!” Harumin shouted before going back to pacing, stunning Himeko into silence. Matsuri sat watching Harumin, she felt it would be best not to interject whilst she was like this, she knew her ‘Taniguchi-Senpie’ well enough to know that she would only be slapped if she spoke. Shiraho simply watched the commotion, she noticed Himeko fiddling with a coffee stick and a small splinter coming breaking away from it, she noticed the occasional and fond glances that Matsuri placed upon Harumin who was up, sweat beads dripping down her head, breathing elevating by 0.5mph per second and by 2mph every time someone said something.

“I think we should visit the Aihara residence. Yuzu-pon’s parents should be familiar with us yes?” Shiraho calmly spoke which made the other girls gape at her in astonishment. _‘How could she not be freaking out about this’_ was the common thought shared in the room. Not a moment later everyone stood up and started walking to their home, silent and deep in thoughts all to do with Yuzu and Mei.

*

Yuzu’s eyes slowly opened, her back painful and her throat and voice groggy. She sat up and stretched out, a small crack was heard and she let out a sigh of relief. _‘What time is it?’_ Yuzu figures she should head back but not before she saluted to her Dad and thanked him for protecting her those last few hours whilst she got some much needed rest. As soon as she left the graveyard half thought through plans and ideas raced through her head all in an attempt to stop the wedding and for Mei to be hers again. She started walking and lost track of time, music in her ears distracting her from any negative thoughts trying to stop her and soon she was standing in front of Grandfather Aihara’s house, the big gates looming over her, threatening to scare her but no, not this time. Yuzu lifted her hand slowly and hesitantly knocked against the door far too quietly for anyone to actually hear but as Yuzu lifted her hand to knock again the door flew open and there in his old, stoic gaze was Grandfather Aihara, Yuzu shrunk a little getting the feeling she had interrupted something but then again he had just interrupted Yuzu’s life so…

“What do you want?” Grandfather Aihara spat at Yuzu making her eyebrows crease with anger and frustration. _‘How does he not understand what he’s done and the damage it’s caused?!’_

“Is Mei here?” Yuzu’s voice shook a little, she’d thought of her name every second of everyday but vocalising it felt foreign but it still warmed her heart each and every time.

“No.” He frowned down at Yuzu who looked a little defeated, he smirked at that and before Yuzu could say anything he stepped back and slammed the door shut in her face. Yuzu stood, shoulders slumped and breath hitching trying to hold back tears. She couldn’t be sure if she was actually home or not or whether that idiot just wanted to keep her away from Yuzu, either way it stung and paranoid thoughts set in, one such in particular was the thought that maybe Mei was already on her way to get married and Yuzu was too late. Her heart seemed to stop completely at that thought. With no confidence and nothing she saw to hold onto anymore she started to make her way home, the only noise was the splashing sound that came from under her shoes as she walked slowly and in a subdued manner.

Mei rounded the corner to see the apartment, the familiar sight letting her breath a little mentally. She ran inside hoping maybe she’d see Yuzu there but with no such luck so she made her way up the four flights of stairs as fast as she could without tripping before she came to a stop outside the door. Her name still etched into the plaque outside as if they were still waiting for her to come back home. ‘Home.’ Mei always felt like her student council work and lonely room was home but now she knew different and the thought of before made her cringe and recoil in disgust. She furiously knocked on the door and she would keep on going till her knuckles bled. Ume opened the door and let out a surprised gasp, Mei lowered her head in a feeling of shame and bowed.

“Sorry to interrupt but is Yuzu here?” Mei said, the words coming out more urgently then she had meant them to. Ume stood frozen before lunging forward and wrapping her arms around Mei squeezing tight and protectively. Shou got up and went to see what the commotion was, breaking away from conversation with Yuzu and Mei’s friends who were now all sat waiting upon an update from the news. His tall figure appeared in the doorway and he couldn’t be more surprised when he saw his daughter, stood wrapped in his wife’s arms and Mei’s arms loosely wrapped around her body. He bent down and wrapped himself around Ume, enveloping Mei at the same time. Mei’s heart throbbed with this much love and support. _‘What’s wrong with me? Why did I leave such a warm and loving place in return for a hostile and cold life.’_ Mei pondered the thought before she was brought inside, her coat dripping wet with rain and her hair even wetter was creating a puddle on the floor and she stood feeling helpless. Ume understood and took her coat off to hang on the radiator and fetched a towel to dry her daughters hair, purple eyes flinching at the contact at first but soon relaxing into the motion. Once dry, Mei made her way through the apartment and she heard a gaggle of voices all coming from the living area, she assumed it was the police and decided to proceed with caution considering she was the one who caused all this, but when she entered the sight of her friends and Yuzu’s friends all staring at her with daggers made her flinch with nerves. The girls weren’t so happy either, Matsuri’s blood started to boil at Mei being stood there instead of Yuzu, she tried to hold it back but she hurt too much.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! ARE YOU BLIND MEI?! HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE HOW MUCH YUZU LOVES YOU EVEN NOW AFTER EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE TO HER!!!” Matsuri screamed and shot up, running towards Mei with a fist clenched and raised. Mei closed her eyes and prepared herself to be hit but after a few beats nothing came so she hesitantly opened her eyes. Harumin was holding a crying Matsuri against her breasts, shoulders heaving up and down in time with the cries of hurt and pain ringing out of her mouth. She calmed down and went to sit down on the couch, head in her hands with anger still shaking through her making her shudder occasionally.

“She knows what she’s done Matsuri, I’m sure she doesn’t need reminding, after all I assume that why she’s here.” Harumin shot a sideways glance at Mei who stood, guilt ridden and crushed. _‘I’ve actually caused all this, pain in everyone even Himeko’_ who right now wouldn’t make eye contact, the only person willing to make contact with her was Shiraho who was staring at the outline of the ring under her shirt, Mei suddenly reached up and clutched the ring as if she was protecting it. A small but truthful movement made Shiraho’s eyes widen and open herself up for Mei to join them, an update on Yuzu would be due any minute now. Mei stepped toward her, moving like she was entering the lions den, she decided to sit at the dining table, not confident enough to be next to the girls. Ume and Shao entered the room assuming the commotion had calmed down by now and sat quietly listening to the news, waiting to stop any more outbursts.

**‘The high schooler Aihara Yuzu has had no sighting since yesterday and the police are now covering a 50 mile radius search with the concern that more issues are now in question. More news on the events shortly.”**

*

Yuzu walked along the canal to her home, _‘there was a lot of sirens going off today.’_ Yuzu thought this was unusual for the usually calm neighbourhood. She looked up at the cherry blossom trees above her which swayed gently in the breeze. _‘The calm before the storm’_. When she made her way to the entrance to the apartment several officers swarmed around her and put her against a wall immediately searching her. Yuzu struggled against the police’s restrain, confused as to what was happening. “We’ve got the victim!” Was shouted in the background up towards her apartment when her Mum ran out and almost flung herself over the balcony in an attempt to see her daughter. _‘Victim?’_ The police let Yuzu go who made her way up to the apartment, her hands fidgeting nervously in her coat pockets as she walked as slowly as possible up towards it, bile started to rise up in her throat and threatened to come out her throat as she stood outside the door. Yuzu took an incredibly long deep breath in and let a shaky sigh leave her lungs as she knocked on the door, she hadn’t even finished knocking once before the door flew open nearly breaking of her hinges and was lifted off the ground, her Mum crying and kissing her all over her face much to Yuzu’s grimace. She was put down after a long time and was allowed to take a step without being assaulted, her legs like Bambi after the greeting but two steps wasn’t allowed as she was physically tackled to the ground by Harumin and her other friends.

“YUZUCHIIIIII YOURE HOMEEEE!!!!” Harumin voice was very very loud and shrill with Matsuri on the floor next to her, squeezing to the point of suffocation. Himeko and Shiraho stood smiling in front of them and Shao appeared smiling too at the sight, Yuzu was happy and quite honestly surprised why anyone was here. _‘Had she done something?’_ The happiness was quickly drowned when she realised that the number one person that she longed to see the most was missing from this picture, Harumin got off of her and gave her a hand to stand up, laughing in relief, Yuzu breathed steadily and turned to her Mum.

“Have I done something? Why was there a ton of police outside?” Yuzu asked confused, Ume stood and stared at Yuzu likes she’d just spoken an alien language to her.

“Uhh Yuzu honey you’ve been gone for two days” Ume raised her hand to check her daughters temperature and pulled a face when it was fine. “Have I?! I only went to Dads grave but then again I did fall asleep on the train.” Yuzu rubbed the back of her neck in apology. “Must’ve lost track of time, sorry for causing such problems” Yuzu apologised to everyone around her. She received nothing but praise and _‘it’s okays’_ in an attempt to make her feel better, Yuzu still had one burning question however and built up the courage to ask it, immediately thinking that she was going to receive the worst answer.

“Um does anyone know where Mei is or how she’s doing or anything, I don’t know why you’d know but still.” Yuzu got quieter realising nobody would have the answer, she’d asked a pointless and hurtful question that only made her feel worse. Matsuri stood to attention, now seeing an opportunity. _‘You owe me for this Mei.’_

“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” Matsuri almost sung, her excitement made her feel a bit disgusted at herself. Yuzu stood staring at her, hurt.

“Matsuri I know you like offensive jokes but that is the one thing to not joke about, you know about it so why would you-“ Yuzu sentence was cut short when Matsuri grabbed her coat sleeve and yanked her, making her fumble over her own feet trying to catch up. Matsuri made a gesture towards the other members of the gang to not follow and leave this to Yuzu to sort out. She grabbed onto both of Yuzu’s sleeves and looked her straight into her green eyes now dark with hurt before whispering “good luck” and shoving her through the door to the dining room and slamming it shut behind her.

*

She was there. Yuzu stood static and quite frankly petrified at the girl sat at the dining room table, thinking that this was a hallucination she, (in a very small voice) called out for her, hoping she would react, hoping this would be real. She couldn’t deal with it being a figure of her imagination.

“Mei?...”

No response came but a slight shift of Mei shoulders hunching up to her ears more, getting more and more tense. Her name from Yuzu’s mouth hurt her but she could never have enough of it. Everything she had done to Yuzu hit her like a truck and her only response was clenching her first tighter and tighter, nails digging into her palms, a drop of blood that came from her left hand was the only thing that brought her crashing back down to reality. She knew Yuzu was still stood near the door, waiting for something to happen. She knew she had to make the next move, she just needed more time.

“Yuzu.” Mei breathed out, still not making eye contact with the older girl. Silence. Both hearts beating fast enough to be having simultaneous heart attacks. Yuzu wasn’t moving, she needed Mei to do it, she needed to know and she needed to feel it come from her. Just once and she would know. The letter, the lonely faces, the hesitance, if she did it she’d let it go. Just one single thing.

“Yuzu.” Mei’s voice cracked, tears falling onto the table. Yuzu’s name flowing more and more easily off her tongue after her Grandfather told her she was forbidden from ever speaking it again. She remembered the conversation crystal clear.

~flashback~

“Mei. I’m glad you decided to choose this path. Much unlike your Father, you are much more responsible than he could ever be and I know that you will be a well honoured heir to the Aihara name.” The words were meant to be praise but only burnt Mei more.

“Thank you.” Mei said flatly.

“And I’m glad you stopped associating yourself with that Yuzu girl.” The way he spoke her name fanned flames of rage in Mei’s heart. “She was nothing but trouble for you and only started to make you lose your way. You’ll be safe to do your duties here now.” Mei stayed silent, the word “safe” rung in her ears over and over. Yuzu was safe, Yuzu was home, this was just an empty shell of her former self and now she was being forced back into it.

~end flashback~

“Home.” Mei said, shoulders relaxing a little and purple, shining eyes snapped up to gaze at Yuzu, green eyes staring straight back at her. _‘Fuck. If Yuzu wasn’t perfect then Mei was a delinquent with the lowest grades in school.”_ The air was thick with tension, a cord being wound tighter and tighter with each word was how it could be described. “I’m home Yuzu. You’re home, I’m safe, where do you go?” Mei asked distracting herself from the word vomit threatening to come up.

Yuzu stood patient. “I left home to figure out what I should do, I went to see my Dad, I lost myself and lost track of the days.” Her sentence finished cold but unpurposefully, that same cold sting sliced Mei like a knife against her chest. She lost it.

“I’m sorry Yuzu. I never meant to do this, I never meant to cause such problems, I felt trapped and scared and I left that note for a cowards way out because I couldn’t bare to see you hurt like I knew you were.” Purple eyes glistening as more tears fell. _‘Tears of relief? Or pain?_ ’ “I left here thinking I’d never return because I couldn’t bare it and the love we ha-.” Mei’s throat got stuck between the words “had” and “have” unsure of how to proceed. Yuzu noticed this stick and mentally encouraged Mei to carry on.

“Ha.. have was all I could think about and I was scared about my future, of not being accepted, of not being able to spend my life with you. I was stuck, Grandfather put me in a corner and threatened to get rid of everything including you if I didn’t go and I didn’t want that, I don’t care about losing everything else but you and this life, all our friends out there, Mother, Father. It took me a long time but I figured out that this is home and this is love.” Mei gestured between herself and Yuzu. “I want this love to last forever Yuzu and I would completely understand if you don’t want that but I just needed to tell you my real thoughts just like in that letter before you make that decision.” Mei winced away at the thought of the latter option of Yuzu not wanting her anymore but she understood she had hurt her enough to warrant the world's worst punishment.

Yuzu said nothing, her only movement was to grab the seat across from her sister at the table and sit down, keeping her eyes on Mei and nothing else, she wanted to see every reaction and every single contour of her face as she moved, Mei flinched at the noise of the chair scraping against the floor, Kumagorou was there only witness to this. Yuzu reached out and took Mei’s hands in her own, the spark that had been building up for the last few months burst all at once between the two girls and it made them gasp, the noise stunning the both of them.

“Mei.” Yuzu stopped after just her name. Here it was, rejection after everything, all she’d done to hurt her was now coming back around to hit here where it hurts the most, this must be what she made Yuzu feel every single time and she would never stop apologising for that, there isn’t enough time in the world to redeem what she’d done to her.

“What in the fuck would make you think I’d go anywhere? I’ve spent the last few months trying to put on a brave face so I didn’t seem hurt, hoping each day you’d come back and now you’re here, you're begging for my forgiveness and I can’t help but give it to you but not quite so easily as last time. It hurt Mei, it still hurts even as you sit in front of me and I need you to prove it to me. I can’t believe you until you prove it.” Yuzu felt harsh with this but it was the truth and from now on she wanted to tell and hear ONLY the truth. Mei understood. She stood up and walked very carefully over to Yuzu who willingly let her take her wherever she wanted, Mei yanked open the door, sending their gang of friends scattering all over the apartment in an attempt to look like they hadn’t just been listening to every word being said. Yuzu couldn’t even say hello before they were out of the door and on a bike making her way through heavy traffic, city lights lighting their path in front of them, this was almost nostalgic from the first time, Yuzu had been riding them to see their Father off in a bid to fix Mei’s relationship. Funny how the clock comes around. Now Mei was the one trying to fix what she’d messed up between her and Yuzu.

They came to an abrupt halt that almost threw Yuzu off of the bike when Mei hopped off and ran towards the graveyard, Yuzu followed hot on her trail and became genuinely wordless when she saw Mei unclipping her necklace which had the fated ring wrapped around it. Memories flowing back distracted her and only regained focus when Mei sunk down onto one knee and held the ring up in her finger like she was offering it to the gods.

“Yuzu, I know I can’t ever completely make up for what I did to you countless times, my pride told me that it was impossible, my experience told me it was risky, my horribly loud reason said it’s pointless but my heart, my cold, locked and chained heart said when I first kissed you “give it a try” and that’s what I’m doing. No more running away, no more lying, just you and me and what we want no matter where this goes. We only do what we want right? And I wanted to do this in the one place that made you come back, to give me one more chance and for that I’m eternally grateful even if I can’t physically thank him Aihara Yuzu, will you be my wife?” Mei’s hands shook with nerves. This was how she felt and this was the best way to prove it.

Yuzu stood glaring at the ring, how it shined under the night sky with the moon illuminating them both like a natural spotlight for their centre stage moment. Yuzu noticed something that wasn’t there before, her name carved into the ring roughly, like Mei had done it herself. Yuzu’s heart warmed from 10 degrees to 100 from the gesture alone and the sudden burst of love she’d been trying to hold back these last few months came out all at once.

“YES MEI! YES OH MY GOD, HOW ARE YOU EVEN REAL?!” Yuzu screamed, arms wrapping around her neck and lips crashing, nothing but months and months of love, pleasure and holding everything back were being transferred between them both, a shaky hand putting the ring onto Yuzu’s finger taking a couple of attempts and reaching round the back of her neck to take off Yuzu’s necklace to give her the opportunity to do the same. Once the rings were fitted, Yuzu turned to her Dad, knelt and prayed to him, she was only interrupted by Mei standing next to her, a hand on her shoulders supporting herself as she lowered herself to thank him in prayer as well next to the girl she loved.

Mei: _Dear Mr Okago, my Father I guess. I’d like to say thank you for bringing your daughter into the world, for caring for her as much as you could, for protecting her that fateful day. I know you’ve probably watched over her day by day watching my horrific actions and I am truly sorry but I promise that I will keep her safe, protect her, never lie to her until the day I die and I meet you up there and then some. Thank you Father._

Yuzu: _Hi Dad, id just like to say thank you for everything, for my protection, for your wisdom and advice and for sending Mei to me, my heart had been broken multiple times over her but now I truly believe that she will do her best to keep me close to her, safe and loved. Thank you Dad. Peace._

When Yuzu opened her eyes she saw Mei already stood next to her, smiling down and waiting, a ringed hand outstretched to help her up. Yuzu took her hand and grinned as the two rings interlinked and clinked with each other, walking back to the bike Yuzu got on first preparing to ride, anxious to get back to their friends to share the news. She felt soft hands caressingly wrap around her waist and grip, a sign she was ready to go. The ride home was pleasant, a new feeling in their chests, the same love but free, free to do as they choose and free to be who they want. Mei felt free. Once home the girls saw their friends leaving, a worried look written all over their faces until Harumin noticed them riding up in the driveway and ran towards them both, continued voices screaming for Mei also, presumably from Himeko.

“YUZU WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Harumin needed to know every detail there and then, Yuzu smiled and pulled Harumin close to her, whispering in her ear, signalling down to her finger.

“I’m engaged Harumin.” Yuzu said that a lot louder than she meant obviously fuelled with excitement and this caught the attention of every other girl in that vicinity.

“MEIMEI YOU'RE ENGAGED AGAIN?!” Himeko was now marching towards her, all in the name of wanting to protect her best friend who suddenly made up with her. Yuzu laughed. _‘It never did take long.’_

“Yes I’m engaged.” Mei held onto Yuzu’s waist tighter. “But this time, it’s with someone I actually love.” A small smile was shared between the both of them, Himeko suddenly appearing between them both, interrupting their moment.

“I swear Yuzu if you break MeiMei’s heart at all I will break you!” Himeko pointed a fist towards her face which Yuzu cupped into her hand.

“Don’t worry Himeko, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this will work out.” Yuzu gently reassured lowering Himeko’s fist. The girls said goodbye to everyone else and made their way up the stairs to there home. Opening the door, they saw Ume and Shou cuddled up together on the couch watching television and suddenly all attention was on them, eyes burning for answers. No vocality was given only the small gesture of two linked hands, donned with matching rings and eyes locked encouragingly before lifting their hands together and the loud gasp of delight filled the room. They had a long way to go, a lot to deal with but they could do it, they had each other.


End file.
